Niger: Evaluation Specialist – USAID Resilience in the Sahel Enhanced (RISE) II: Sahel Collaboration and Communication (SCC) Activity

Evaluation Specialist – USAID Resilience in the Sahel Enhanced (RISE) II: Sahel Collaboration and Communication (SCC) Activity

NORC at the University of Chicago (NORC) is an objective, non-partisan research institution that delivers reliable data and rigorous analysis to guide critical programmatic, business, and policy decisions. NORC’s International Programs Department (INPRO) helps governments, international aid agencies, and other organizations around the world transform increasingly complex information into useful knowledge, improve their development programs through designing and implementing evaluations and assessments, and provides evidence-based analysis and learning on program results and effectiveness.

NORC currently seeks an Evaluation Specialist to lead the evaluation component of the anticipated 5-year USAID RISE II: Sahel Collaboration and Communication (SCC) Activity in Niger and Burkina Faso. The SCC activity is a coordination, collaboration, and learning platform that will contribute to all aspects of the RISE II results framework.

The Evaluation Specialist will be responsible for planning, implementing or providing oversight for evaluations and assessments conducted throughout the life of the SCC activity. S/he will play a key role in evaluation scoping and methodological design, developing qualitative and quantitative instruments, leading the planning and execution of quantitative and qualitative field data collections, and leading analysis and results reporting. The Evaluation Specialist will work closely with the SCC Chief of Party and other activity leads, as well as with USAID technical staff and evaluation teams.

This is a full-time position based in Niger that is anticipated to begin on or around September 2019 and continue for 5 years. The position is contingent upon contract award and funding.***Please note: This is a local position.***

Key responsibilities for this position will include:

• Leading or providing oversight for the design, implementation, analysis, and reporting of all evaluations undertaken under the SCC activity.
• Providing technical and management expertise to evaluation teams and local subcontractors to ensure the quality and timeliness of technical deliverables under evaluation scopes of work.
• Developing data collection instruments for both quantitative and qualitative data collections and providing oversight and quality control of data collection.
• Interfacing and collaborating with a wide range of project stakeholders, local data collection teams, and subcontractors.
• Conducting or overseeing statistical and econometric data analysis using diverse methods, systematic coding of qualitative data, and systematic document reviews.
• Developing presentations, writing reports, and providing support to the Chief of Party as needed.
• Managing short-term technical experts and assisting in their recruitment by ensuring that they have the required technical expertise and necessary experience.
• Ensuring that evaluation schedules and implementation plans are met and/or adjusted due to mitigating circumstances.
• Contributing to the integration of evaluation results into broader SCC communications, knowledge management and learning objectives.

The minimum qualifications for this position are:

• A Masters or PhD in economics, agriculture, program evaluation, or a social science discipline relating to international development.
• Professionally fluent levels of written and spoken French and English.
• At least eight years of experience in research, evaluation, and/or statistics related to development.
• Demonstrated experience in designing, implementing and managing performance or impact evaluations of development projects.
• Familiarity with monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) frameworks and learning products.
• Demonstrated success in leadership, strategic thinking/planning, managing teams, and engaging with government representatives and project stakeholders.
• Excellent writing and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver a high-quality written product on time and within budget.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, and ability to work collaboratively on integrated evaluation teams, including in lead and supporting roles.
• Familiarity with a broad range of subject matter in the areas of food security, agricultural development, water, sanitation and health (WASH), nutrition, and governance.

In addition, preference will be given to candidates who also have:

• Experience with USAID evaluation requirements, guidelines, and best practices.
• Familiarity with USAID resilience programming.
• Experience working in both Niger and Burkina Faso.

Interested candidates are invited to submit their CV and cover letter to USAID-Sahel-C&C@norc.org by March 20, 2019.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.